Dyche pleading for patience

31 July 2014 02:16

Burnley still have irons in the fire this transfer window, but manager Sean Dyche will not look to rush through deals ahead of their Barclays Premier League opener with Chelsea.

The Clarets begin their top-flight campaign in just 19 days with the mouth-watering clash against Jose Mourinho's men at Turf Moor drawing ever nearer.

And while Chelsea's summer spending, which includes the acquisitions of Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Filipe Luis, appears more or less done, Burnley continue to scour the market.

Dyche knows he is fishing in a different pond entirely to the 2012 Champions League winners and cannot just force through deals with sheer financial muscle.

"We still feel that we can add to our numbers, which we're looking to do," he said.

"There's a couple of things that are on-going; we've been linked with 64 players this week and we can't sign them all.

"There's a couple of fresh things that are developing. It's a bit protracted with a couple of things but sometimes that's the nature if you can't just throw money everywhere."

West Brom defender Craig Dawson, who it is understood saw a transfer request turned down last month, continues to be linked with last season's Sky Bet Championship runners-up, as does Watford striker Troy Deeney, although the reported fees being bandied around are sure to dissuade Burnley.

The east Lancashire club have thus far been more prudent with their incomings and that is a philosophy Dyche will continue to adhere to, particularly given the transfer window remains open throughout August.

He added: "It's a double-edged sword. Things can happen now and we want them to happen now. But if they don't it does allow you that time.

"Weird situations, good situations and not-so good situations all open up in that last couple of weeks beyond the beginning of the season."

Burnley's against-the-odds promotion last year was achieved with a threadbare squad and Dyche appreciated that his pool of players would need to be deeper this time around.

However, after using just 23 players in their entire Championship campaign last term, he will not open the cheque book to simply flood his squad with new arrivals.

"There's not really a number on it," Dyche said when asked how many more signings he desires.

"We know there's a squad requirement and obviously the Premier League has the 25-player squad situation so we have to look at that. But that doesn't mean we will definitely have 25.

"We have to look at the financial numbers as well and that has to sit and work within the squad. There's not a definite number but we know we do need some reinforcements for the moment."

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who kept 19 clean sheets during Burnley's promotion campaign, handed Dyche a boost on Thursday by putting pen to paper on a new three-year contract.

Meanwhile, Dyche insists his players will not allow the turmoil engulfing Blackpool to detract from their pre-season preparations when the two meet at Bloomfield Road this weekend.

The Seasiders, whose chairman and president have been embroiled in a public war of words this week, still remain without a professional goalkeeper and as recently as Monday only had eight players signed to contracts.

After they cancelled a pre-season tour to Spain earlier this month, Burnley received clarification that this Saturday's fixture would definitely go ahead.

"We asked them a simple question and they said 'No, we're fine'," Dyche revealed.